10 Best Smart Plugs in 2022, According to Tech Experts – Good Housekeeping
✔️ Size: Not all smart plugs are created equally, and some are larger than others. Before buying a smart plug, make sure that it will fit in your space plus outlet. For instance, if you want to use a smart plug in the outlet behind the couch, you need to ensure you have enough space for the smart plug itself as well as your device’s plug. Also be mindful that while some smart plugs might fit into one outlet on your wall, they could end up blocking the other. If this is the case, look for a smart connect with the compact design or a dual smart plug.
✔️ Voice assistant compatibility: If you plan upon using a voice assistant such as Google Assistant or Alexa with your smart connect, make sure that the smart plug is compatible with that assistant and ecosystem. While most wise plugs work across multiple platforms, some may not support all of them.
✔️ Indoor/outdoor use: In case you plan on using your intelligent plug outside to operate Christmas lights or lamps and fans on your patio, first double-check that the clever plug was created for outdoor use. Check that will it has an IP rating of at least IP64, meaning it can withstand some exposure to outdoor elements. Our experts advise that you should never make use of an indoor-only smart plug outside.
✔️ Power: Check the particular smart plug’s power to see how many amps it uses and what it may plus can’t be used with. Simply put, an amp is a good unit measuring electricity. Lights and smaller smart devices, like the Amazon Echo , only draw about 1 amp, whilst TVs can draw about three amps depending on size.
✔️ Extra features: Some smart plugs come with more features compared to others. You might observe smart connects that offer energy monitoring to understand how much energy your appliances are consuming, while others offer a dimming option for your own lights. A few smart plugs enable you to create schedules within the app, such as setting your coffee machine in order to turn on at 8 is or even having your own electric blanket turn on before you wake up on a cold morning.